Carrying case with writing board



March 19, 1963 LlFTON CARRYING CASE WITH WRITING BOARD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A770,/VY

Filed Aug. 26, 1959 March 19, 1963 1.. LIFTON CARRYING CASE WITH WRITING BOARD 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1959 ATTOIQA/EY March 19, 1963 1.. LIFTON CARRYING CASE WITH WRITING BOARD Filed Aug. 26, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 1E WAS A 70/1 W m 5 l 1 4 H 6 n m 9 ,7 0 1 v. a K 1 ii! 1 March 19, 1963 Y L. LIFTON 3,082,049

CARRYING CASE WITH WRITING BOARD Filed Aug. 26, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 19, 1963 L. LIFTON CARRYING CASE WITH WRITING BOARD Q INVENTOR.

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A 7 70/ lvf' Y United States Patent 3,082,049 CARRYING CASE WITH WRITING BOARD Lewis Litton, New York, N .Y. Filed Aug. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 836,212 1 Claim. (Cl. 312-200) The present invention relates to a carrying case with a writing board and it particularly relates to an attach type of case although the invention may be applied to other types of writing cases.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a carrying case for carrying papers, clothing and the like which may also be utilized as a portable desk.

Another object is to provide a carrying case either in the form of a brief bag or attache case which may be used in traveling for carrying papers and articles of clothing and also as a writing desk in automotive, train or airplane transportation.

:Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most satisfactory according to one embodiment of the present invention to provide an attache case or briefcase with a relatively deep container portion and a relative shallow cover portion.

The cover portion may have an envelope or bellows arrangement by means of which papers or documents may be filed while the container portion may provide a receptacle for clothing or papers or other traveling articles.

Essentially the primary object of the present invention resides in the fact that the container portion re ceives a removable desk cover or writing board.

According to the preferredform of the present invention the removable writing board is held in a channel adjacent the hinge side of the attache or briefcase and is provided'with a snap fastener detachable connection on angle brackets at the forward end or the hinge end of the brief carrying case or attache case.

Desirably the writing board may be altogether lifted a or detached from its channel connection at one side i and its snap connection at the other so that access is had to the interior of the casing. However, the channel connection at one side and the snap connection at the...

other is so arranged as readily to permit the board to be reinserted either as a cover or for writing purposes.

In association with the writing desk there is also provided a detachable portfolio arrangement having a plurality of bellows enclosures which may be held in position by means of a double snap arrangement. This will permit the entire casing alternately to be used for carrying papers in one instance or as an ordinary overnight bag in another instance, with the writing board and portfolio arrangement removed. With the foregoing and other objects in view, the

. invention consists of the novel construction,- combina tion and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying 3,082,049 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 'FIG. 3 is a separated View showing the portfolio,.

"writing board and attach case with the bellows portfolio and the writing board removed therefrom.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, upon an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 2, showing the cover section.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 55 of FIG. 2, upon an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 2, showing the container section with the Writing board in position therein.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, showing the attach case closed with the writing board and bellows portfolio mounted therein.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown the attach case A provided with a cover element B and a container element C.

limit the amount of space between the cover element B and the container element C.

' The case is also provided with brass knobs J serving as feet for standing upon a floor and with the snap lock member on the top thereof as indicated at K.

The container section C has the main side wall 10 the side walls 11 and top wall 12 and base wall 13. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each of these walls 'isrprovided with a main structure 14 (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

The main structure 14 is exteriorly covered by the leather facing 15 and it is laminated with the interior structure 16 which has a projecting portion 17 to form a telescoping connection, as best indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The interior structure 16 is also covered by a leather or synthetic facing 13 (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

The material at the corners 19 will extend entirely around the periphery of the top edge of the container section C so as to form a close fit as is best indicated in FIG. 6. i Y

The cover element D has a center structure member 20 which is exteriorly covered by the leather facing 21 and interiorly covered by a synthetic or leather'facing 22 (see FIG. 6).

ber 27 having the top flange 28 and the bottom flange29 which extend across the inside face of the wall 13 for approximately a middle third of-the length of the wall 13 asindicated best in FIG. 3.

drawings, wherein isshown an embodiment lot the in 'vent ion, but it'is to be understoodthat changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to whichfall within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

The ends ofthe channel 27 are curved, as indicated at 30 and the width of the channelis desirably about one and a half to two times the width of the writing board E at the point of insertion.

When the Writing board is in position, as indicated in FIG. 5, there will be aspace 31 above the board with the edge 32 of the board resting on the lower flange 29 (see FIGpS). a

Desirably the writing board consists of a flat base member 33 with a peripheral U cross-section edge binding 34 stitched into position, as indicated at 35.

Desirably the board has the cutout side sections 36 which permit the fingers to be inserted below the board and it also has the side flaps 37 which are stitched in by the stitching 35 and are open, as indicated at 38, to receive the blotter member 39 which may be positioned on top of the base board 33.

The forward end of the board E is desirably provided with a snap connection 40 which may be of the female type with a brass top portion 41 to hold the cars 42 in position.

The cars 42 will project upwardly through the opening 43 in the top of the blotter 39 '(see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The board normally will rest not only upon the lower flange 29 of the channel member 27 but will also rest upon the horizontal flanges 44 and 45 of the brackets 46 and 47.

The channel member 27 will be held in position by the rivets or pins 48 while the side flange bracket 46 will be held in position by the rivets 49 and the front angle members 47 will be held in position by the rivets 50.

The flanges 29 and 44 will merely serve as supports but the top flange 45 of the angle member 47 will also serve to carry a snap element 51 which engages with the female snap element 34 on the front end of the board E.

When the board is in position, as shown in FIGS. 2, and 6, it will be held by the elongated flange 29 of the channel 27 and it will also be held by the flanges 44 and 45, as well as the snap connection 40-51.

These flanges 44 and 45, together with the snap connection 33-51 will all be positioned adjacent the top or forward end of the wall 12 of the container section C and it may be presumed that the container section C is positioned on the knees or in the lap of the user with the strap F toward the lower part of the front of the body of the user to give maximum stability.

The writing board B will be closely spaced, as indicated at 52, to the interior front section of the wall 12, and it will be most widely spaced as indicated at 53, in FIG. 6, from the side walls 11.

At the rear there will always be a substantial spacing at 54 between the bottom of the channel 27 and the end 32 of the writing board E. This balanced arrangement for the writing board will assure maximum comfort and permit the user thereof most readily to employ the board in combination with the briefcase as the device is employed.

The double handle section F consists of two double arcuate members 75 and 76 (see FIG. 5) which act as resilient spring members between the side loops 77 mounted on the hardware 78 (see FIGS. 2 and 5) to give a spring support of the case when in the position as shown in FIG. 2 against the front abdomen or stomach part of the body so that writing on the board B may be done with maximum comfort.

At the same time the snap fastener 33-51 will hold the board in position and the widened sections, as indicated at 79 at the forward portion of the board (see FIGS. 2 and 3) will keep the board from swinging to the side and will assure stability, together with the forward flanges 44 and 45 which are positioned adjacent the writer or user of the writing board E.

The locking arrangements are desirably provided with upright self-locking elements '80 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) which will hold the cover section B at about 90 upwardly, as indicated in FIG. 2, where the portfolio section D is readily available and can be used by the person emeyelet therein which is designed to receive the turnkey arrangement 86 having a rotatable ovular element 87 which will press against the eyelet 85 and lock the upper part of the double wall 34 in position.

The lower portion or extension 88 of the double wall will fit into the U-shaped bracket 89, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which has a forwardly inclined member at 90 which will contact and rest against the rear portion 91 of the lower envelope enclosure 92 of the portfolio D.

The front wall 83 of the portfolio will carry a series of loops 93 at the upper side thereof for carrying writing implements and it will also have a series of lower pockets 94 for carrying blotters, such as indicated at 95, or other writing equipment.

The double wall also carries the ends 96 of the adjustment straps 97 which have the female snap connections 98.

These female snap connections 98 are designed to engage the spaced male connections 99 on the front of the front wall 83 to give an adjusted position for greater or lesser opening of the bellows 81 and less ready or more ready access to the papers enclosed between the separator members 82.

If desired, the straps may be altogether detached, as indicated in FIG. 3, to permit full access to the pockets between the separators 82 but normally one of the partitions, such as shown in FIG. 2, will be sufficient.

Desirably, the inside leg 102 of the clip 89 will be held in position by the rivet 100 (see FIG. 4) which will hold the interior relatively thick lining 101 in position over the inside leg 102.

It will be noted that the extension of the lining, as indicated at 103 in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, will hold the cover element E at about 90 upwardly from the container section C when the case is opened as shown in FIG. 2 in conjunction with the locking members 80.

The cover material 103 extends from the inside face 104 of the wall 13 across the top portion of the wall 13, as indicated at 105, and then as indicated at 106 in FIG. 4 to the inside face 109 of the side wall 107 of the cover B.

At 109 the material 106 will be held down by the base 100 of the U-shaped clip 89. The material 103 can stretch slightly, permitting movement of the cover section B in the position as shown in connection with FIGS. 2 and 4.

When both the portfolio D and the writing board E are removed the attache case may then be used for normal carrying purposes.

With the writing board E and the portfolio D in position, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6, the attache case may be utilized as a portable desk in airplanes, motor vehicles or trains. The detachable writing board B will also serve as a cover for any clothing that may be stored in the space M, as shown in FIG. 5, under the writing board E in the container section C.

It is thus apparent that the present applicant has provided a novel, useful, detachable writing arrangement or portable writing desk which may be utilized in conjunction with a detachable writing board and portfolio for comfortable desk and olfice work while traveling.

The various equipment necessary is readily available and the writing board and portfolio are so balanced that they may be easily and comfortably held on the lap of the user.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claim.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed:

What is claimed is:

A combination attach case and writing board comprising a rectangular container element and a rectangular cover element each having an open mouth which close together when the case is closed and each having bottom edge and top walls with side walls perpendicular thereto,

said walls being connected together to form the container and cover elements and a removable stiff writing board closure pivotally and removably mounted at the mouth end of the container element in parallelism to and substantially spaced from the side wall of the container element, a short channel member fixed at its base to the bottom wall of the container element and extending parallel to the side of the container element and closely adjacent to the mouth of the container element, said channel member engaging the one central edge portion of said closure to form a pivot mount therefor and the edge and top walls each having an angle bracket support for said closure at the other edges of said closure, said bracket supports being located at the ends of the edge walls adjacent the top wall closely adjacent the mouth of the container element and the bracket support on the top wall of the container element located in the center of the top wall closely adjacent the mouth of the container element, said last mentioned bracket carrying a male snap fastener element and the closure carrying a corresponding female snap fastener element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

